Inconvenience? Or Protection?

Early Saturday morning. Brain still not completely awake. Pouring rain.

I try to read my directions without crashing the car and realize I missed my exit. I pull over, reconnoiter and decide to find next exit, re-enter the I-5 South, exit, re-enter I-5 North, and finally take the exit for the road I needed.

Although this scenic route only added about 5-10 minutes to my trip, I’m now truly annoyed, tense, and concerned that I will be late. Not a good thing. Soon I see slowing traffic, flashing red lights, someone on the freeway directing cars to the far left lane. Steam rising up from the pavement, adding mystery and a sense of dread. Three cars scattered across the road, smashed and dented, with the focal point: a car upside down. People standing at the edge, comforting each other.

As my brain wakes up, it understands that this accident had happened only minutes before. There is single police car. One officer lining up orange cones, isolating the scene. Another officer with those involved. No ambulance, no paramedics.

First thought: Oh, no. I pray no one’s hurt badly. How scary!

Second thought that closely follows: That could have been me. How scary!

Missing my exit…was it my mistake? My lapse in attention?

Or was I being watched over? Guided? Protected?

Now please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t believe that God likes me better than those people in the accident so He protected me and not them. But I choose to believe that He has a plan for me that didn’t include that accident. Don’t know why or what. I do know that I was able to share that story with someone who believes there IS a God, who knows ABOUT Him, who was influenced by my belief in a God who CARES about me and has a plan for me….

How many times are the annoyances and inconveniences in our lives actually Divine Protection or God’s Direction? Do we realize that there is more going on behind the scenes? Do we believe that God sometimes “re-routes” our trajectory for a good reason? Don’t we usually think we’re in control and feel a little cranky when our plans go awry?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” And sometimes that has to be enough, I guess.

BE ALERT, BE GRATEFUL, BE TRUSTING.

Just another GC: This was written last week (just not published)….for certain people who may be wondering…Jesus, You rock!